Darren Bent, Ross McCormack and James Vaughan will all be hunting goals this season.

The new season is almost upon us and so there is no better time to take a look at how the other 23 teams in the Championship are shaping up.

Club journalists from up and down the land have been profiling their teams and rating their chances ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

They've also given their predictions for both promotion and relegation. Take a look and see if you agree.

We'll profile the first 12 Championship clubs today and then bring you the final 12 tomorrow. Enjoy!

BIRMINGHAM CITY (by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail)

Birmingham's Demarai Gray in action.

Blues have enjoyed a decent summer, their recruitment has been good without nailing every one of their first choice targets.

Tomasz Kuszczak is a big upgrade in the goalkeeping department and holding on to Demarai Gray has been massive.

They’ve a smaller squad than last year, though, so the onus will be on keeping everyone fit.

If they can pick their first XI as often as possible they have a great chance of equalling or even going better than last year’s tenth. If not, it’ll be mid-table.

Key player: Demarai Gray - Premier League class in the Championship and looking much stronger physically.

Promotion: Burnley, Middlesbrough, Hull.

Relegation: MK Dons, Preston, Rotherham.

Did you know: Last season Gary Rowett oversaw the biggest improvement of league position of any of the Championship’s new managers, 13 places from 23rd to 10th.

BLACKBURN ROVERS (by Paul Wheelock, Lancashire Telegraph)

Craig Conway races down the wing.

It’s difficult to answer about Blackburn’s prospects until the transfer window closes.

Sell Jordan Rhodes and that’s 40 goals lost, following the departure of Rudy Gestede, but it would lead to the club’s embargo being lifted, allowing Gary Bowyer to do what he does, bringing in quality players for small fees.

Either way it is going to be a testing season. But, while I do not see Rovers becoming embroiled in a relegation fight, a top-six place may be beyond them.

Did you know: Craig Conway is a trained hairdresser who gives trims to a number of his team-mates – with his fees going to charity.

BOLTON WANDERERS (by Marc Iles, Bolton News)

Key: Ben Amos

Unless the much-mooted outside investment happens soon, it’s hard to imagine Wanderers having anything other than a season of struggle. If Neil Lennon is given cash to spend, however, there is a solid enough base to build on.

Did you know: Bolton hold the record for having played most games in the top flight without winning the league title.

BRENTFORD (by Tom Moore, getwestlondon.co.uk)

Brentford's Andre Gray. (Image: Action Images / Craig Brough)

It’s been all change at Griffin Park with Mark Warburton leaving the club at the end of last season.

Marinus Dijkhuizen has come in as head coach and a raft of new players have been signed, while none of the star players from last season have left.

Under owner Matthew Benham, Brentford’s seasons have been better than the ones before so it would be no surprise to see them challenging for promotion.

Key player: Andre Gray - Big things are expected of the striker, now in his second season in the Championship.

Promotion: Derby, Middlesbrough, Brentford.

Relegation: Rotherham, MK Dons, Bristol City.

Did you know: Griffin Park no longer has a pub on each corner after the Royal Oak closed.

BRIGHTON (by Andy Naylor, The Argus)

Seagulls midfielder Beram Kayal.

They still have the feel of a Premier League club in waiting off the pitch, less so on it.

Chris Hughton knows the division and they will be hard to beat in his first full season but need more attacking flair and goal threat before the window shuts to turn the struggle against relegation back into the top six finishes of the previous two years. Otherwise rare mid-table mediocrity beckons.

Key player: Beram Kayal, classy midfielder.

Promotion: Middlesbrough, Derby, Ipswich.

Relegation: MK Dons, Huddersfield, Bristol City.

Did you know: He doesn’t look it, but Chris Hughton comfortably became the oldest manager appointed by Brighton (56) when he took over on New Year’s Eve.

BRISTOL CITY (by Andy Stockhausen, Bristol Post)

Luke Freeman is a key man for City.

Although a team that became accustomed to winning when claiming a League One title and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy double last season has nothing to fear from the Championship, the size of City’s squad is giving cause for concern.

French striker Jonathan Kodjia – signed from Angers for £2.1m – remains the only new addition and manager Steve Cotterill is under pressure to strengthen a number of key areas before the transfer window closes. Providing City can supplement their squad with some quality additions, they should comfortably hold their own in the English second tier.

BURNLEY (by Chris Boden, Burnley Express)

I’d expect Burnley to be as hard to beat as they were two seasons ago at this level, well-organised, but will they have the same cutting edge without Danny Ings, and Kieran Trippier supplying the ammunition?

Marney and Barnes will also be big misses after knee injuries suffered last season. I’d expect to be top six, however.

Key player: Matt Lowton. Trippier will be harder to replace than Ings in my book.

Promotion: Derby, Burnley, Wolves.

Relegation: Bolton, Huddersfield, Rotherham.

Did you know: Only Preston have played at the same ground longer than Burnley, moving to Turf Moor in 1883.

CARDIFF CITY (by Terry Phillips, Media Wales)

Top man: Peter Whittingham

Manager Russell Slade is working to win over many fans who don’t see him as the right man for the job. Sammy Ameobi, loan from Newcastle, and defender Semi Ajayi, released by Arsenal, have been added, but City need more midfield quality.

Key player: Peter Whittingham. Remains a class act at Championship level, but needs to find consistency which was missing last season.

Promotion: Derby, Middlesbrough, Burnley.

Relegation: Rotherham, Huddersfield, MK Dons.

Did you know: Cardiff have only one 3pm Championship kick-off in August. Their Saturday fixtures are Fulham (home, noon), QPR (away, 5.15pm), Wolves (home, 5.15pm) and Nottingham Forest (away, 3pm).

CHARLTON ATHLETIC (by Richard Cawley, South London Press)

Charlton's Jordan Cousins.

Charlton can’t match the budgets of many of their rivals and the recruitment drive has consisted of overseas signings. They have talent in the squad – deadly Icelandic winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson is a prime example – but they are reliant on new boys bedding in quickly.

The most high-profile capture is Simon Makienok on a season-long loan from Palermo – a target for Premier League teams before his Serie A move went sour.

Key player: Jordan Cousins. Boundless energy. Drives the Addicks on when they need it most.

Promotion: Derby, Burnley, Ipswich.

Relegation: MK Dons, Rotherham, Preston.

Did you know: Makienok is Charlton’s biggest signing ever – literally. At 6ft 7ins tall he is set to become their tallest player to play a competitive game.

DERBY COUNTY (by Steve Nicholson, Derby Telegraph)

Derby County's George Thorne.

Beaten play-off finalists in 2014 and favourites to go up last season before they crumbled in the run-in, Derby County look strong enough to Challenge again.

They have spent around £10m this summer and brought in seven players - Jason Shackell, Darren Bent, Alex Pearce, Scott Carson, Chris Baird, Tom Ince and Andreas Weimann. Many of them, interestingly, have experience of this division and the Premier League, and have won things.

Key player: George Thorne. He was injured virtually all last season and Derby missed his presence as a controlling/holding midfielder.

Promotion: Middlesbrough, Derby, Burnley.

Relegation: Huddersfield Town, Rotherham, MK Dons.

Did you know: New head coach Paul Clement played basketball at a higher level than he played football.

FULHAM (by Paul Warburton, getwestlondon.co.uk)

Ross McCormack scored 19 goals last season.

They stand a better chance than this time last year. How could they not? Felix Magath was a disaster. Kit Symons is far more practical and his signings reflect this. They look fit for purpose and pre-season, he quietly got things rolling along.

I’ll bet a Cottage Pie, they don’t flirt with relegation this time.

Key player: Ross McCormack, 19 goals for a team struggling throughout says it all.

Promotion: Derby, Middlesbrough, Hull.

Relegation: Rotherham, Blackburn, Charlton.

Did you know: There are three Geordies in the squad, Shaun Hutchinson, Ben Pringle and Dan Burn, for the first time in the club’s history. Howay, the Whites!

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (by Doug Thomson, Huddersfield Examiner)

Match winner: James Vaughan.

Town need to tighten up defensively and avoid too may injuries if they are to replicate last season’s bright phases and turn themselves into a genuine top-half team.

Chris Powell has some talented players but Town haven’t been consistent enough since returning to the second tier in 2012.

Key player: James Vaughan. He’s a match-winner but he has to stay fit.

Promotion: Derby, Wolves, Burnley.

Relegation: Rotherham, MK Dons, Preston.

Did you know: Town fans still hark back to the glory days of the 1920’s through the song Smile Awhile.